Introduction
People consider the contemporary society in which we live to be the most advanced in comparison to those in the past. A major component to why our society is considered to be developing is because of the technological apparatuses at our disposal. However, others would also consider that technology has a negative impact on the way society functions. For example, e-cigarettes have been placed in the spotlight for whether or not they are an invention that helps or hinders the lives of individuals and society as a whole. The use of e-cigarettes is becoming more and more common, especially in the United Kingdom, (Dockrell, Morison, Bauld, & McNeill, 2013) which is why it is a hot topic to discuss in today’s modern society. Even in the United States, more than 38% of tobacco smokers have tried to use an alternative method, with the most common being the e-cigarette (Popova & Ling, 2013). The modern e-cigarette was invented in 2003 by Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist, who wanted to assist smokers in bettering their health (Grana, Benowitz, & Glantz, 2014). In Canada, smoking tobacco cigarettes has caused many health related problems because close to six million people smoke these products in 2013 (Statistics Canada, 2014).
When taking a look at the table listed above, it is evident that smoking tobacco is a major concern amongst Canadians. Therefore many Canadian smokers have tried to find a solution to this addiction by using e-cigarettes as a means to fighting the
Steven Reinberg is a senior staff reporter for HealthDay. He also has won awards for his health journals and has written for both consumer and professional audiences. Reiberg wrote this piece for HealthDay and then it was published on WebMD. WebMD is online source where anyone can go to get health information. All the information comes from over 100 doctors and physicians that WebMD works with so that they can provide accurate information. This article provides information on the the benefits of electronic cigarettes outweigh the harm they might cause. Using the liquid for electronic cigarettes cuts out all the extra chemicals that are found in traditional cigarettes.
The e-cigarette format, however, does not eliminate concerns regarding public and individual health risks. The World Health Organization has called for e-cigarette usage to be monitored in the same way as more conventional tobacco products,(23) the US FDA is advocating for more research,(24) and there has been a dramatic increase in analyses of the chemical, physiological, psychological and socio-cultural aspects of e-cigarettes.(2-7,9-12,14-21,24-52)
A major issues we face today is how un-informed people are on the vaping world also known as e-cigarettes. For that I have chosen an article called America’s vaping revolution: How suspicious should we really be of the e-cigarette craze by Noah Charney posted on Sunday, Dec 7th, 2014. This article is about what e-cigarettes are, where they came from and their uses and effects that they can cause. I’m choosing this article because vaping (smoking E-cigarettes) is something that not a lot of people understand. Some people believe it is bad for you and that it won’t help stop smoking and that it can still cause health issues. Other things include the cost; some say it cost less than cigarettes and should e-cigs not be allowed in certain places. Most people are not informed about vaping on if it’s truly harmful or not they just assume it’s the same as smoking a cigarettes and that’s all it is but over the years it has changed a lot.
The profitable business of electronic cigarettes has raised over $3 Billion dollars annually, vastly spread across over 466 brands which have joined the ordeal. Above all, known as a “gateway drug”, electronic cigarettes have claimed the once-ordinary lives of people, specifically to those who have turned from tobacco cigarettes. What is more, scientists have determined that not enough research has been executed to automatically assume the healthiness of e-cigarettes. Despite this, many have claimed that e-cigarettes, are, and will be the new “healthy” drug, so to speak. Provided that e-cigarettes do not release harmful smoke, they are still not safe for one’s health given that not enough research has been performed on them.
“In 2009, 8.2% of middle school students and 23.9% of high school students reported current use of any tobacco product, and 5.2% of middle school students and 17.2% of high school students reported current use of cigarettes” (CDC, Tobacco Use, Para. 5). Tobacco products are always going to be accessible to the kids of the nation. But e-cigs are still only for men and women above the age of 18, and I.D. is required to purchase anything related to the products. I questioned 50 people who use e-cigs or e-cig products if they ever felt the desire to smoke a regular cigarette since they began using a vape. Out of 50, 36 said that they have never felt the desire to smoke a cigarette, and they didn’t get any nicotine in the juice they used. 10 of the 50 stated that they would rather use their vape, but sometimes they crave a cigarette. The other 4 said that they would rather have a cigarette but are quitting. Some even stated that they use their vape as an excuse to not smoke. They don’t feel as pressured to smoke whenever they are able to use the e-cigs around smokers. Most people who have smoked their entire lives and decided to quit and start vaping usually start out at a high level of nicotine then slowly work their way down to lower levels. “We followed 477 users of electronic cigarettes during one month and 367 users over one year. 22% had stopped smoking after one month and 46% after one year.
An increasing number of physicians and scientists agree that e-cigarettes are a healthier alternative, and they say these products could end a major health problem. The Royal College of Physicians say, "Electronic cigarettes and other nicotine-containing devices offer massive potential to improve public health, by providing smokers with a much safer alternative to tobacco" (Jen Christensen, sec. 4).
“ The true face of smoking is disease, death and horror – not the glamour and sophistication the pushers in the tobacco industry try to portray ”. – David Byrne. Smoking has been an habit in teenagers and adults for a very long time and it is well known that it is harmful for them as well for the environment. Technology has advanced, and now there are electronic cigarettes, called E-cigarette, which are devices with battery that carry nicotine heated aersosol in a fashion that imitates common cigarettes, while carrying lower levels of toxins than a conventional lit cigarette. They can be used indoors, which allows smokers to get their fix wherever and whenever they want. A study from NBC News (Leshae) shows that electronic cigarettes are a technique for smokers to try quitting their addictions. Manufacturers consider that e-cigarattes are healthier than normal tobacco cigarattes, since smokers are inhaling vaporized nicotine rather of carcinogen-filled smoke. However, according to a Thomas Jefferson University Alumni article, some reseachers have found harmful ingredients in certain e-cigarettes, such as ethylene glycol poisoning, a primary ingredient in brake fluid and antifreeze. E-cigarettes mey seem like a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, nevertheless there is some research that proves the contrary and we still don’t know its long term effect.
The article “To regulate or not to regulate? Views on electronic cigarette regulations and beliefs about the reasons for and against regulations” brought forward on the regulation of vapes and electronic cigarettes. This article shows studies that were taken through online polling of adults from Amazon mechanical Turk. The polls took place in May of 2015. Overall the article is about whether to or not to regulate electronic cigarettes or vapes. As most people disagreed with most of the reasons to not regulate the vapes, most did agree with one idea that should be implied if the regulation of vapes and e-cigs “electronic cigarettes” continued. That was if they continued to be regulated then a label warning exclaiming that the products contain nicotine should be added to all devices and products that go along with it.
In the past decade e-cigarettes industry has been growing quite rapidly. E-cigarettes were first created as a better alternative to the conventional tobacco cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. However, in todays society they have become a very popular commodity. Likewise, they are mostly used for mere pleasure and not what its original purpose was. Originally the sole purpose of e-cigarettes was to help wean their users off of the unhealthy drugs we all know as the conventional tobacco cigarettes (Dockrell, 1). But are they really the healthier alternative? Absolutely not. E-cigarettes are extremely unhealthy, used as a gate-way substitute, and also affect others who aren’t even directly using it!
E-cigarettes have exploded onto the scene in the past three years. Whole stores dedicated to these devices have opened their doors to the public and business is thriving. E-cigarettes are battery-charged devices that have an atomizer, or heating element, in them to vaporize liquid nicotine. The user is able to inhale this vapor and get the nicotine without the other 4,000 chemicals present in tobacco cigarette smoke (Schroeder). Nicotine is a chemical that is produced by the tobacco plant. People have discovered that by smoking the leaves of a tobacco plant the nicotine in the leaves is delivered into the bloodstream. Nicotine by itself is not an awful drug as far as drugs go, although it is highly addictive, it is the tar in cigarettes that does so much damage. Tobacco use remains the number one preventable cause of death in the U.S. with 480,000 Americans dying prematurely from tobacco related disease. Kicking this habit remains difficult for most (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Mark Twain once wrote “It’s easy to quit smoking, I’ve done it hundreds of times.”
An electronic cigarette, or E-cigarette, is a new form of tobacco product that is increasing in its popularity; it allows one to inhale a vapor in the same way one would smoke a traditional cigarette ("E-cigarettes and Lung Health"). Some people believe that E-cigarettes are better than cigarettes for various reasons, and this belief may be true. These claims do not mean, however, that E-cigs should be welcomed with open arms because of the risks still involved in them. E-cigarettes are dangerous, like tobacco, and their risks should be evaluated being that they are not a good choice for anyone. They should not be made accessible to teens because of the many dangers one can see just with a quick glimpse into E -Cigs. The first red flag one
Every year, an estimated 443, 000 Americans die of smoking related illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also states “the leading cause of preventable death” is smoking. ("Smoking & Tobacco Use-Fast Facts”). Relatively new to the market are electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes. “Vaping”, as it is known by users, has become increasingly more attractive as an alternative to traditional, cancer causing, cigarettes. Although sales of e-cigarettes are estimated to reach $2 billion dollars (Dennis, Brady) this year, many Americans still have reservations about the safety of a new nicotine delivery system.
On the contrary to the general concept and motif behind the production of e-cigarettes, several studies have proven that these electronic devices that were created as an unassailable and riskless alternative to derail and overcome one’s cigarette addiction and dependency, happen to be equally as harmful and destructive as the nicotine infused drug. Maria Mironidou Tzouveleki, Evanthia Tzitzi, and Panagiotis Tzitzis stated “The vapour of e-cig contains toxic and dangerous substances as the smoke of conventional cigarette but in different quantities.” (Mironidou Tzouveleki, Tzitzi, 2015, p. 235.) Ever since e-cigarettes made their debut in the market back in 2003, researches had their doubts and implications about this particular substitutive
It is great that Florida legislation proposed a bill to include e-cigarettes and vaping into their smoking ordinance. I am a hospice nurse and wonder what the effect will be on people who choose to use e-cigarettes as opposed to regular cigarettes. Both contain nicotine. So I agree that using a preventative measure by revising the smoking ordinance will protect public health. Unfortunately, it will probably be many years before we know about the harm and danger that come from e-cigarettes and vaping.
Cigarette smoking is something people all over the world have been doing for about 2000 years. Back in 2003, the first electronic cigarette was successfully created by a gentleman named Hon Lik. Lik was a 52 year old pharmacist at the time, whom of which was also a smoker. The inspiration behind making the electronic cigarette came after Lik’s father passed away from lung cancer due to him also being a heavy smoker. “A Historical Timeline of Electronic Cigarettes.” cassia.org. Consumer Advocates for Smoke Free Alternatives Association, 15 June 2017. The idea behind creating this device was to give smokers a way to still ingest nicotine, the most addictive chemical in tobacco cigarettes, without the countless negative health effects that